Edgartown agreed overwhelmingly to buy or take the Yellow House, Oak Bluffs said yes to a new town hall but refused to spend money to shore up the crumbling Island Theatre, and West Tisbury played spoiler on a roof replacement project at the old marine hospital owned by the Martha’s Vineyard Museum.

Color guard at Old Whaling Church.

Maria Thibodeau

Color guard at Old Whaling Church.

Maria Thibodeau

These were the highlights from annual town meetings in the three towns Tuesday night.

Edgartown and West Tisbury finished their meetings in a single night, but Oak Bluffs voters will return Wednesday for a second session at the high school Performing Arts Center.

The vote in Edgartown to spend $3 million to buy or take the Yellow House ended weeks of debate and discussion over the vacant, run-down Main street property owned by the Hall family. On Tuesday night an attempt by Benjamin Hall Jr. to amend the article on the town meeting floor failed, and following an hour of debate and 45 minutes of voting by Australian ballot, the article passed 217-34.

“What the town is trying to do is really not only to improve a negative situation that exists today, but improve the future for our community as a whole,” said Patrick Ahearn, a prominent town architect. “There’s basically a major hole in the middle of downtown.”

Approval is still needed in the ballot box Thursday for the project to go forward.

In all three towns Tuesday budgets sailed through and debate was wide-ranging.

A turnout of 248 voters in Edgartown approved a $34.6 million town budget with no fuss after zipping through a 12-article special town meeting. As voting began on the Yellow House, one voter had a medical emergency and was attended to by EMTs and volunteer firefighters.

Voters also finally gave a green light to the $2.5 million expansion project for the regional refuse district. The project has been in the works for three years but was sent back to the drawing board by Edgartown last year.

Most other articles were approved with little or no debate and the meeting adjourned at 11 p.m.

In West Tisbury 210 voters found themselves in an unexpectedly long and fractious meeting despite a relatively routine warrant.

West Tisbury meeting bogged down at times in unexpected places.

Tova Katzman

West Tisbury meeting bogged down at times in unexpected places.

Tova Katzman

Voters agreed to spend $100,000 to play catchup on town building maintenance and approved for a second time the town’s share of the refuse district expansion. An $18.2 million budget passed easily.

Voters also agreed to contribute $500,000 to the planned Scotts Grove affordable housing development near the old fire station, but not without debate.

Some questioned whether the town should spend so much money. Gary Montrowl, a member of the town finance committee, said there were broader issues to consider. “The state mandates that each community have a certain amount of affordable housing,” he said. “We are far from reaching that quota.” The article passed by a standing vote of 160-30.

But when it came to contributing a share of money to a roof replacement project at the old marine hospital owned by the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, voters balked. The Islandwide project originally called for a slate roof, but was amended this year to cedar shingles. Museum director Phil Wallis explained that wood was historically accurate, but more than one roofer stood to say said a wooden roof would not last. The article failed in a 63-68 vote.

The meeting bogged down at times, including over a lengthy personnel bylaw amendment.

An Islandwide initiative aimed at protecting undocumented, law-abiding immigrants from harassment saw strong support among citizens and law enforcement alike. Flanked by the county sheriff and the new Chilmark police chief, West Tisbury police chief Dan Rossi read a statement for the article that was originally drafted by We Stand Together, a grass roots advocacy group. (The question also won easy approval in Edgartown.)

A final article asking the town to provide child care for town meetings failed on a 38-38 tie vote just before 11 p.m. And weary West Tisbury voters adjourned.

In Oak Bluffs, 319 voters easily approved a $29.3 million budget and said yes to a $9.88 million request for a new town hall. In a presentation, capital improvements committee chairman Bill McGrath pointed out a long list of problems, including a rotting floor in the main entrance and inaccessible bathrooms.

Plenty of ayes in Oak Bluffs for a new town hall.

Mark Lovewell

Plenty of ayes in Oak Bluffs for a new town hall.

Mark Lovewell

“Town hall is a mess. It needs to be replaced,” he said to applause.

The project still depends on a debt exclusion question to be decided at the annual town election Thursday.

A total of $167,200 in public safety spending requests, including $85,000 for new firefighting gear and $68,000 for refurbishing a town ambulance, passed unanimously. A $10,000 request by the police department for new exercise equipment was tabled indefinitely.

Voters appropriated $100,000 for a new master plan, to update the current plan from 1998. “Unless we have a master plan, we are trying to put a jigsaw puzzle together without having all the pieces,” Christine Todd said.

But voters rejected the idea of spending $200,000 to shore up the crumbling Island Theatre, owned by the Hall family. An amendment to use the money to demolish the long-shuttered Circuit avenue theatre also failed. Many voiced strong concerns about whether the article represented the best strategy.

“I think we are dithering around here and putting money in the Halls’ pocket with this kind of amendment for public safety,” Fred Hancock said. “The building needs to be demolished.”

More photos from annual town meetings.

Sara Brown, Alex Elvin and Jane Seagrave contributed reporting.